Opinion: We’re in danger of killing off the biodiversity that makes our way of life possible
By Helaine Olen Helaine Olen Opinion writer focusing on politics, economics and American life Bio Follow Opinion writer May 7 at 12:23 PM On Monday, the United Nations released a report declaring that upwards of 1 million plant and animals forms of life are on track to become extinct within the next several decades, as a result of human activity. “Grave impacts on people around the world are now likely,” the report dryly summarized.
Biodiversity is all life on Earth, from blue whales to the flies that buzz about us. It’s the fish and large mammals many of us eat, but also the flora that protects the streams and oceans, and the microorganisms we cannot see but are vital for health of the planet. Many species are in increased jeopardy as a result of human actions such as industrial agriculture and claiming wetlands for real estate development.
The U.N. report makes clear this is a worldwide problem, and the United States is hardly the only country to blame. Still, we are the world’s leading power, and it’s incumbent on us to set the example. If we won’t do the right thing, what hope is there anyone else will?
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